CHL notebook: Vegas prospect Hemmerling has 'the want' for future in NHL

Future NHL stars are developing in the Canadian Hockey League this season. Each week, NHL.com will highlight a few of the top NHL-affiliated prospects in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League and the Western Hockey League.

Ben Hemmerling didn't get the chance to go through a normal offseason of training following surgery on his right shoulder, but that doesn’t appear to have slowed the Vegas Golden Knights forward prospect one bit.

The 19-year-old leads Everett of the WHL with 82 points (26 goals, 56 assists) in 59 games and is second in the league with 290 shots on goal.

"Whenever you get surgery, it's not the best option," Hemmerling said. "But I put in lots of time and effort into [rehabilitation] this summer, making sure it was strong as possible and ready to go for that for Vegas [training] camp. I think the recovery time on that kind of thing is 4-6 months and I was back in 4 1/2, five. I was happy with how it came along and it feels great."

That level of determination and work ethic, on top of the offensive production, has the Golden Knights excited for Hemmerling's future.

"You never leave disappointed, ever, when you leave the rink and you've watched him play," Vegas director of player development Wil Nichol said. "And that that has been consistent from my time working with him. ... He plays the right way. So the points and the production are great, but he's getting them playing the right way. He's a plus-17 and he leads the entire WHL in shots. He gets pucks to the net. He's got a great shot. He's done great. Ben has the most important piece in the equation when it comes to development, he's got the want, he's got the desire to get better. So he's really easy to work with."

Hemmerling's numbers have improved each of the past three seasons, and this season he was named Everett co-captain, along with forward Austin Roest (Nashville Predators).

"I like to look at myself as a bit of a glue guy," Hemmerling said. "Whenever I can, I keep the room light and joke around with the guys. But I also know when to crack down and get down to business and get a job done. I think that's important, too. I play with a lot of emotion. I like to lead on the ice and off the ice, just mentoring the younger guys and putting my all into every game and practice."

Hemmerling also has grown physically. When the Golden Knights selected him in the sixth round (No. 177) of the 2022 NHL Draft, he was listed at 5-foot-10, 159 pounds. Two years later, he's 5-11, 174, and looking to get even stronger.

"For me it's just hitting the weights, hitting the gym as much as I can," Hemmerling said, "and maybe building up a little bit more muscle going into playoffs and setting myself up for the best playoff run we can have."

Nichol said his trust in the Vegas strength and conditioning staff and Hemmerling's work ethic has him confident the player will get to where he needs to be to be an effective player at the next level.

"Jeff Conkle (associate director of player performance and development/strength and conditioning coach), who's part of our sports science department, we talked to him a lot about this with Ben, and with other players," Nichol said. "He's real confident, and we understand this as an organization, it's not going to be one summer, it's not going to be overnight. It's going to take some time. 

"So Jeff Conkle doesn't have any concerns about Ben putting on the right kind of weight and getting up to 185, maybe even 190, but at least 185 pounds. If you look at the NHL rosters, there's guys that play for a long time at 185-190 pounds. The thing about Ben, he's wiry strong, and he's got really good balance. He's really good on his edges. He's one of those mid-size forwards that has a really good success rate when he goes into battles because he's so good on his skates with his balance and his edges. So just added weight, added strength, is going to help him even more so."

As will improving his defensive-zone play, which Hemmerling feels can get better even with his quality plus/minus rating.

"I need to focus on that a little more, my play without the puck," he said. "I like where my game is at when I have the puck on my stick. I'm making plays and creating scoring chances and all that good stuff. But without the puck, just focus in on my positioning and things like that. ... I'm confident in my play with the puck. I know I can play at that speed. Just really cracking down on that one little piece I need to get better at."

Nichol said he's confident Hemmerling will hit every development marker he's aiming for.

"There's no entitlement in this kid," he said. "None. If you look at his path, and if you know his history at all, he was extremely undersized growing up. He doesn't at all have small-man syndrome, but what he's got is he's got a bit of a chip on his shoulder in a good way that drives his motor. I think kind of going through that as a young kid and always being the smallest and pretty light too, he's just always had to overcome that. 

"And he's probably always had people who have questioned him because of that. And it doesn't bother him at all. I think it's a fuel for the engine for his motor, and this kid's got a motor. There's no doubt about it."

OTHERS TO WATCH

David Goyette, C, Sudbury: The Seattle Kraken prospect extended his point streak to 17 games (29 points; 10 goals, 19 assists) with an assist in a 10-3 win against Sarnia on Friday. The 19-year-old, selected in the second round (No. 61) of the 2022 draft, leads the OHL with 96 points (36 goals, 60 assists) in 58 games, the most points in a season by a Sudbury player since Mike Sgarbossa had 102 in 2011-12. Goyette, who had 92 points (41 goals, 51 assists) in 63 games last season, is the first Sudbury player with consecutive 90-point seasons since Norm Milley in 1998-99 and 1999-2000.

Ethan Gauthier, RW, Drummondville: The Tampa Bay Lightning prospect had two goals and two assists in an 8-2 win against Charlottetown on Friday to improve his season totals to 62 points (32 goals, 30 assists) in 54 games, tied for the Drummondville lead with center Luke Woodworth. This marks the second straight season the 19-year-old has reached the 30-goal mark; he had 30 goals in 66 games with Sherbrooke last season. Gauthier was a second-round pick (No. 37) in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Riley Heidt, C, Prince George: The Minnesota Wild prospect had a goal and two assists in a 6-5 shootout win at Kelowna on Feb. 24 to become the first CHL player to reach 100 points this season. He ranks third in the WHL in scoring (32 goals, 68 assists in 57 games), two points behind Prince George teammate Zac Funk and three behind Moose Jaw center Jagger Firkus (Seattle Kraken). Heidt also had 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) during a seven-game point streak, which ended in a 5-4 overtime loss to Spokane on Friday. The 18-year-old was selected in the second round (No. 64) of the 2023 draft.